Tooth guard and jaw protector



March 25, 1958 D. J. ALTIERI 2,827,899

TOOTH GUARD AND JAW PROTECTOR Filed Dec. 6, 1954 INVENTOR. Q J4ME$ ALT/ER/ A 7' TORNEYS United States Patent TOOTH GUARD AND JAW PROTECTOR Domenico James Altieri, Palo Alto, Calif.

Application December 6, 1954, Serial No. 473,388

5 Claims. (Cl. 128-136) This invention relates to mouth pieces such as are gen erally used by athletes, boxers and the like for protecting their teeth, lips and jaws from injury by excessive blows or shocks.

Devices of this kind are generally accepted and Widely used, there being various types and designs of mouth pieces all of which have the common characteristic of being inserted into the users mouth to serve as a cushion between his upper and lower teeth.

2,827,899 Patented Mar. 25, 1958 'Fig. 2 and showing a reinforcing member embedded in the primary cup or body therein illustrated.

' In the drawings, the mouth piece is generally designated 10. It consists of a main or primary body 11 and a secondary material or filler 12. In addition to the foregoing, and if desired, the primary body 11 may include a reinforcing element or member 13.

The primary body 11 consists of a precast cup or retaining member 14 formed of a yieldable moldable material such as rubber or any other firm yet resilient shock absorbing substance which will lend itself to the purpose Since each person is unique in that no two people have teeth of identical shape or spacing or within an identical are or pattern, it will be aparent that in order to obtain a good fit each person would have to order a mouth piece to be custom made or fitted to this own jaw and tooth dimensions. This is a rather expensive process requiring that an impression be made in the same manner as required in the fitting and manufacture of denture plates. Moreover, the impression thus formed must be converted to a mold within which a rubber base substance is poured to form such a custom made mouth p1ece.

Attempts have been made to mass produce mouth pieces made of rubber but such mass produced devices are obviously without impressions of ones teeth and therefore a user must constantly keep his jaws closed to hold the mouth piece in place. This, of course is difiicult for athletes and boxers because it is a known fact that during extreme physical exertion these people need -more oxygen and as a result will breathe through the mouth and often gasp for air with their jaws widely opened. Consequently if the mouth piece is not secured they become gagged and might even swallow the mouth piece. a

It is an object of the present invention to provide a.

mouth piece which can be mass. produced and yet be susceptible to exact fitting to the user so as to adhere to the upper teeth. In connection with this broad concept, it is an object to provide a mouth piece having a mass produced primary material filled with a secondary material capable of receiving an impression of the users upper teeth and gums. This object includes the advantage of providing a self-made impression on the part of the user and therefore enables the mass produced mouth piece of the present invention to adhere to the upper row of teeth thus overcoming gagging.

It is another object of this invention to provide a primary cup or body for a mouth piece in a fashion for bonding to a secondary material or impression receiving filler.

Another object is to provide a primary body of a mouth piece with a reinforcing for maintaining its shape.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the contemplated. Best results have been obtained by admixing latex rubber with strands of cellulose fibrous material which serve as a binder for this primary material.

It is intended that this primary body 11 be mass produced in stock sizes which vary only according to jaw dimensions. For example, for small, large or medium mouth sizes. In all other respects each device is identical in construction and has all of the attributes of the confollowing description in the light of the accompanying.

drawings in which:

invention illustrated in situ in a persons mouth.

,'Fig. 2 is anenlargedperspective viewof the primary .1

cept of the present disclosure.

The cup or retaining member 14 of the primary body 11 comprises a U-shaped diaphragm or separator 15 adapted to be disposed between the cusps of upper and lower teeth in a persons mouth to act as a separator grally with the main body 11 and include fore and aft walls 1918 respectively at the bight of the U-shaped diaphragm 15.

Therefore retaining wall 18' includes an overhanging lip 20 which extends downwardly beyond the plane of the diaphragm 15 so as to partially overlie the crown portions of the lower front teeth of the user. This lip 20 circumscribes only part of the lower teeth and is particularly intended to protect the lips of the user from injury by blows against the incisors and canines or eye teeth. The lip 20 has a further purpose of being engaged by the frontal lower teeth to prevent backward shifting of the entire month piece within the mouth of the user.

Referring nowto Figs. 4, 5 and 6, it will be seen that y the inner and outer retaining walls 1819 extending upwardly from the diaphragm 15 cooperate with the latter in forming a trough-like receptacle 14 throughout the extent of the U-shaped main or primary body 11. In this connection, the upper edge 22 of both inner and outer walls 1819 are provided with an inwardly ex- 1 tending bead 23. The inner faces of the walls 18--1 as well as the upper face 17 of the diaphragm 15 also have pro ections 24 formed thereon. These projections are preferably convex tabs disposed in staggered relation with respect to each other throughout the inner confines of the trough-like receptacle 14.

3'; The secondary, material or filler 12 consists'of a rubber base material which is fusible at a low temperature as distinguished from the primary material which is tough and resilientzhavingi aniafiinity to withstand: cutting from." the teeth and to always return to itsanormalrshape and thickness event. afterun'due? pressure: In: contrast with the primary material the secondary material 12 will soften.

wardly extendingbeads 23-rwhichgform:.a rim around the receptacle. The secondary material: is first: heatedto approximately 112 F. before-being placed-tin the recept'acle 14: and therefore becomes "pliableand= will mold itself to-the: shape of. the U.-shaped' receptacle? as well as. the many fins or tabs 24: projectinginwardly from the walls and bottom thereof; In. this manner the secondary material I2 is adequately anchored and will adhere to the inner walls of the receptacle providedinsthe primary or main body 11. of the mouth piece. around the'receptacle 14-formed by the inwardly extending beads 23 serve to maintain the secondary materiallZ within the receptacle. around the entire upper edge of either retaining wall 18-19 servesto maintain the upper. edges of these walls intrue form-so that they will'not curl out and-break away from the secondary material;

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the tire mouth piece into warm water (slightly above mouthtemperature) for. a predetermined lapseof time. This-will render the secondary materialsoft enough to receive impress-ions. The user then inserts. theentire unit 10-into his mouth inproper positionbetween upper and lower arches of his teeth. Inthis-position the secondary material 12 is uppermost, i. e., in register with the teeth in the upper jaw. He then bites down upon the mouth piece 10, while it is still at a temperature above body heat. Thus he makes an impression into the secondary material 12 corresponding exactly to his upper teeth.

After thesecondary material 12, with impression therein, cools even to normal body or mouth temperature (98.6 F.) the secondary material 12 will set up and remain in the-exact shape of the upper row of teeth. Thus a perfect fit is obtained and adherence of the mouth piece 10- to the upper jaw or row of teeth thereinis always assured. V

In addition to theforegoing. it will be appreciated that any change in the wea-rers denture, i. e., his tooth arrangement or structure, can be readily compensated for by the mouth piece of the present invention. For example, should the owner of the mouth piece have a toothextracted he need only dip the mouth piece in a glass of hot water to soften up the secondary material, knead it with his fingers and then insert it into his mouth and" bite down upon it to make a new impression correspondingto his new or changed tooth. structure.

Insofar as the present invention is concernedits broader aspects, as hereinbefore explained, will afford good mouth and tooth protection- The main or primary body 11 bein'g'made'of' a rubber base material may have a tendency to flex' or bend it it is not stiif enough to withstand such flexing or bending. the reinforcing member 13 is included; This reinforcing member 13 (Fig; 7) is a relatively stiff structural member so form'edas to be embedde'din the primary body 11' at the time of molding or casting or thella tter.

As a result of this characteristic the second? Moreover, the rim This bead 23- being continuous In order to counteract this" tendency In connection with the foregoing the reinforcingmember 13 may be formed of metal or preferably of a hard, relatively stilt plastic material. In either event the reinforcing element 13 is of a U shape conforming to the arch or U shape of the primary body 11. It has a horizontal fiat portion 30 of a width which will wholly confine it within the diaphragm 15 of the main body 11.

At the end portions of the legs of the U-shaped reinforcing member 13 there' are provided upturned inner and outer side flanges 38 3 9,.respectively, so disposed as to be embedded" in the inner and outer walls 18-19 of the main body 1:11 ThustheseIelatiVelythini:upstanding walls 1819 of. the main body ortrough-like receptacle 14 are rigidifiedand'prevented' from spreading, i. e., being forced away from each other, when pressure is applied to the secondary material 12 between them during formation of tooth impressions into the secondary material as hereinbeforeexplained.

In: order-to 'assurebondingrof the rubber base :material;

oftheiprimary'b'ody 11 toithe reinforcing member 13 the latter is provided with perforations 40 throughout its flat...

or horizontal portion 302s well as its'upstandin'g flanges 383.9; Thuswhenthe main or' primary body. 11 is cast.

or molded the rubber'base materia'l thereof flowsthrough the perforations 40' inzthei well known: manner: to secure the reinforcingimember 13. within theLmain-body 11.v

Having". thus described my: improved mouth piece. in specificdetailit'will be apparent thatitis susceptible to: alteration, modificatiomand/ or variation without depart ingtfrom thespin'tt of my invention. I'therefore desire to avail myself ofsuchialterat'ions,.modifications'. and variations'asfairly come: within the purview oifthe appended. claims.

WhatI: claim as newand'idesire' to protect by'Letters of the'protector, inner and outer. retaining. walls; on the upper face of. said diaphragm: to provide a trough-like receptacle thereon; a plurality of integral tabs extending inwardly from. said diaphragmi and inner and outer retaining walls'fand' a fillerin said trough-like receptacle consistingof a secondary materialv having an affinity when heated'beyondmouth temperature to anchor itself to said: tabs and to receive the impression. of the teeth in the upper jaw of the wearer when he bitcs down uponsaid tooth guard andtjaw'p-rotector While saidisecondary material is yetz'irr aheated,.pliablei state.

2. In a tooth guard and. jaw protector adapted. to fit in a; personfs: mouth between the teeth of the. upper and lower jaws thereoffa mainbody consisting of a rubber base primary material having an affinity of maintaining itsown shape comprising a U-shaped. diaphragm adapted to'bedisposed between the teeth of the upper and lower jaws; integral inner and outer. retaining walls on the upper face'ofsaid diaphragmto'provide a trough-like receptacle thereon, a filler in said troughdike receptacle consisting. of a secondary material having an aflinity when heated beyond mouth temperatureto receive an impression when pressure is applied thereto, said inner and outer retainingwalls: having a continuous inturned bead formed thereon adjacent their upper edges for securing said secondary materialwithin' said troughalike' receptacle, and a plurality of tabs: formed integrally withsaid main body and. promiscuously interspersed onthe upper face of said diaphragm and? the inner face of: saidinner and outer retaining walls" forianchoring said secondary material. thereto.

3. In a tooth guard and jaw protector of the type ineluding: a: U-shaped body'mem'ber adaptedv to fit between ing a; trough-like? receptacle on itsupper face inwhich an impression receiving material is confined and adapted when heated to slightly above mouth temperature for receiving the impression of the teeth in the upper jaw of the user, a plurality of staggered tabs formed integrally with said body member within said trough-like receptacle for anchoring said impression receiving material therein.

4. In a tooth guard and jaw protector of the type including a U-shaped base rubber member adapted to fit.

between the upper and lower teeth in a persons mouth and having inner and outer retaining walls around the upper face thereof to provide a trough-like receptacle for confining a secondary material adapted when heated to slightly above mouth temperature to receive an impression of the teeth in the upper jaw of the user, means for counteracting the tendency of said base rubber member to flex or bend comprising a U-shaped reinforcing member embedded in the floor portion of said trough-like receptacle and having upturned inner and outer flanges embedded in said inner and outer retaining walls respectively thereof.

5. In a tooth guard and jaw protector of the type including a U-shaped base rubber member adapted to fit between the upper and lower teeth in a persons mouth and having inner and outer retaining walls around the upper face thereof to provide a trough-like receptacle for confining a secondary material adapted when heated to slightly above mouth temperature to receive an impression of the teeth in the upper jaw of the user, means for counteracting the tendency of said base rubber member to flex or bend comprising a U-shaped reinforcing member embedded in the floor portion of said trough-like receptacle and having upturned inner and outer flanges embedded in said inner and outer retaining walls respectively thereof, and a plurality of tabs formed on the inside faces of said trough-like receptacle integrally with said base rubber member for anchoring said secondary material therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,843,337 Record et a1 Feb. 2, 1932 2,678,043 Stark May 11, 1954 2,705,492 Chandler Apr. 5, 1955 2,706,478 Porter Apr. 19, 1955 2,750,941 Cathcart June 19, 1956 

